Necktie spreader



W.-T. ELY

NECKTIE SPREADER Feb. 2, 1954 Filed Aug. 8, 1950 INVENTOR. kWh/r 725/ BY 6 AT NEY Patented Feb. 2, 1954 UNHTED FFECE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to devices adapted to spread out a four-in-hand necktie, and to retain it in such spread condition.

The objects of my invention are to provide an inherently springy means which will spread and hold the front section of a tie; which is provided with means to hold said spreader in position under the tie; which will not injure the fabric of the tie; which is easy to apply to and to remove from the tie; and which is simple and cheap to make and very effective in use.

I attain these and other objects by the devices and arrangements illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a front elevation showing a portion of a necktie and illustrating, in broken lines, my improved tie spreader in use; Fig. 2 is a plan view of my spreader, the dimensions of the wire and caps being exaggerated for the purpose of clearness; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of one of the caps thereof.

Identical numerals of reference refer to the same parts throughout the several views.

The four-in-hand tie, if left unspread, is apt to permit its edges to fold over the central part of the tie, and its front surface becomes wrinkled and, in general, it soon shows a rumpled appearance, especially if the knot has not been tied at the same position in its length as on the preceding occasion, while with the use of my tie spreader the appearance of the tie is tidy, orderly and neat.

To accomplish this purpose I make my spreader of very thin and straight steel spring wire it, which I bend at two points ll, equally distant from the center of the length of wire, to form two arms 52 and I3 with its ends. These arms extend upward from the central part M of the spreader. These arms are of equal length and make equal angles to the central part M. The article thus formed therefore comprises a central part It which remains substantially straight, and having the arms I2 and I3 extending upwards and outwards at equal angles A and which are inherently resilient when their ends are displaced towards each other. The angles A are obtuse angles.

I attach, by suitable means, to the ends of said arms l2 and is, suitable metal caps l5 which are bulbous or tubular in form, and which are adapted to protect the fabric of the tie from the ends of the said arms 52 and it. These caps 55 are provided with short prongs It adapted to catch in the fabric of the tie when the arms are bent toward each other, to hold the said arms in such strained positions, and thereby to spread the fabric of the tie laterally. When the ends of the arms are thus drawn toward each other the central part ill is also slightly bent into a curved form and the whole structure produces its maximum spreading action on the tie.

It is my intent that this patent shall cover any change or modification of the embodiment of my invention which I have chosen for its disclosure, which does not depart from the spirit or scope of my invention as outlined in the appended claims.

Having, therefore, described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A tie spreader for a four-in-hand tie, composed of a straight spring steel wire bent at two separated points to form equal arms extending from the central part at obtuse angles when disengaged from the tie, and having protective caps secured to their ends, each of said caps being provided with a pair of spaced apart prongs formed integral therewith and adapted to engage the cloth or" the tie, said arms being adapted to be sprung towards each other and to engage the tie in such position, whereby said arms apply a spreading action on the tie.

2. A tie spreader for a iour-in-hand tie, comprising a straight resilient wire bent to form arms of substantially equal length diverging toward their free ends, a bulbous cap on the terminal portion of each of the arms, a prong on each cap formed integral therewith and projecting therefrom in the plane of the bent wire, said arms being adapted to be sprung toward each other and to engage the tie, whereby said arms apply a spreading action to the tie.

WILBUR T. ELY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Grabcwska July 4, 1950 

